Bus bar assembly



Jan. 17, 1939. w, M. SCOTT JR 2,144,247

H BUS BAR ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 24, 1956 :5 Sheets-Sheet 1 w 5? dia ya INVENTOR.

By Me, #M L mm. 124E291 A TTORNE Y.

Jan. 17, 1939.- r w. M SCOTT. JR 2,144,247

\ BUS BAR ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 24, 195 s Sheets-Sheet 2 il 5 FEB E I INVENTOR.

v "'wwmw A TTORNE Y.

Jan. 17, 1939. w. M. SCOTT. JR

BUS BAR AS SEMBLY 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Oct. 24, 1936 HVVENTUR.

ATTURNEY 25"b u's b'ar. 1

In carrying gout my inventiomjinyone form I as " .1; 1,} fimnsusscomt u,f1'ss o; seri;1 u 'l gmz partly inlsection otlslltwmcsi'imsmsmibu fw -.,assembiy;yz or g2 isa. perspective view, partly in section;v I v "loifia brecketpq I n n V 'm. s 3- illustrates,l schemetically, 'twow vertical -5 ;v

v 7i My invention relhtessto jth'e typewhereina plurality of buswbars arersum portedbyf inslflator'flunits and h'a's'ifor object itheiprovision of e sim'ple; niggedlandi'inexpensive r 5 :means of mounting the' bus-barsiandiinsulator with a minimum 401' auxiliary supporting structure;

It is a.- turther object' of my-inventiontoprov vide an enclosed bus' "structure in which the en'- 10 closure, theinsulator units andthe bus bars are mutually self-supporting and which "includes a y bracket renaming-one orm'ore' of-"the "assemblies sg'sinststress'esfoi' the type which the insulator 'units' are notxadapted to resist without possibility of failure; is 'h'y' fractureof the insullatorlvbody A I l l n Heretofore itf'hes been common nractice to support a plurality otins'ulator bus bar as'semv lilies "apes-a, separate n me-consumed from .a X, "plurality of' '7 iron bars "rigidly bolted ftogether.

The separate Ireine, besides being expensive," injcreeses the space requirements for} given humbe'r ofibus banassernblies endioolhplicates the problem oi providing sepsratej'enclosuresi'or each thereof I eliminate thebroVision of separate, framesla nd the like,1by utilizing the insulator 3 units themselves, lforzsupporting light -welght ento the flanges of selected insulator the brackets having a; configuration designed tozwithi stand all stresseshoi' tenslon, torsion, and thelike, l

- which tend to' crackythe poreelain j-or;glass,1 or

plicate in fox-1n, arerprovided-r. with duplicate 'ing'drawingsin which: 1 m

Q 65 Figure 1 .is an enlarged-fractional "elevation,

theenclosinghousingif closures, for mutually supportin'g a.plurality of bus bars, andgfor their,norm el iunetion oi elec-y' strically isolating each-pfithe busv bars. The insuv Llator units areprotectedfroni-torsion or tension'alstresses of damegingrnagnitude-jby-provisionoi! j one orl-morebrackets boltedorgotherwise secured stacks of enclosed bus ba'rstructure, secured togather, by: brackets; certain being, omitted iorlsakeoifilflri yf I l ,F1 .-1 illustrgtesischen sticallyh lh le vrus t g :cal stsckiofiyenciosedbus bars with associated 10 i insulator units omitted for-thesakeioiclarity} Fig.5 is a vertical elevation, partly in s'ection, taken onthe lines 3-} of 'Fig, 6, "eta, stacigioi insulator .buslbar asse'mblieslwith the hous'ing oi J'igfiomitted; 16

V g.-6ifs a verticzii elevation;nertly'in-section, 7 taken on the line'sL-B o1 'Fig.i-5,'hut including Fig. 7 is angelefvation, infsection, illuse ftratingla, modified form of myinyenti'on as'ap- 20 pliedto bus'bars the" axes of which are normal to each other; 2 v

11318 is evetionf miyjmsscnan, illus trating, a further modification oi! my-inven'tion as inventionin one form its applied to-a' bus bar structure which mayconsist of a plurality of y I; ll andj IZ, Figs. 5 and 6; supported one above the other'by means ofverticei stacks of insulator units'spaced-along the length of the H respective busbars, only one stack, comprising insulator llto'v I 8}} being: shown' 'iin the disposed chbinnehshape'd conductors 'l 9 and, interlocked byclarnping 'devices-52 l, is mounted l V between 'opposi n flan es of-ad acentlnsulators. otherwise destroy the insulating. properties oI-the g g j Linsulators. The insulator units; lpreferahlyidw A's shown inFig; L each-bus banbsbus bar It;

is' tree w'sna between the flanges zz'and 23o!- insulators .131 and respectively; byj reasonfoi j I; four sp ice!- sleeves 2l"-whiohi*provideclearance;

indicated'at 25; above the bus banflhe re spectiye ends of each specer'sleeveare; threaded. -Pto'recelve cap screws-2 6 extending through open--' l ings brovided in the respective ilangesfliand 2 3;

""I'helower flange'fl, Fig. 5, of insulator i3 is bolted; "orotherwise anchoz-edto a; supportg'as chsnneljgm,

' iron 28, supported by angle 29 secured-as r 'by' embedded bolts illyto' concrete Su porting "structure 3l.--'-

' Between the. flange 21 and the' channel iron 28 is clamped the lower wall-32 ot an enclosure or housing, the upper opposing wall 33 of which is clamped between the flanges 34 and 35 of the insulator units l4 and I5. Cooperating with and secured to inturned ends of walls 32 and 33, Fig. 6, are side walls 36 and 31 which cooperate in a similar manner with downturned ends of the horizontal walls 38 and 39 clamped respectively between associated flanges of insulator units l6- l1 and between flange 40 of insulator unit I8 and a channel iron 4!. By removal of fastening screws 38a and 31a the panels or side walls 38 and 31 may be removed to permit access to each insulator stack. To support the upper end of the stack of insulators a pipe coupling assembly 42 is secured to a guide member 43 carried by a stationary supporting structure 44.

A proportionate share of the weight of the bus bars III, II and I 2 is carried by the stack of insulator units I! to l8, inclusive, the'remaining weight of the bus bars and enclosures being carried by theadditional stacks of insulator assemblies (not shown) spaced along the lengths of the bus bars on opposite sides of the stack illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6. Since each bus bar upon expansion and contraction due to temperature change moves axially and at right angles 'with respect to the vertical axes of the respective stacks of insulator units, the resulting lateral forces on each stack tend to collapse the stack. These lateral forces place the insulator bodies, generally, and preferably formed of porcelain or the like, under bending stress and upon the occurrence of relatively large lateral forces there is likelihood of overstressing. cracking. or mechanical and electrical failure of the insulator units. Moreover, high magnetic forces, produced upon flow of large values of current, tend to move the bus bars toward or away from each other, thereby subjecting the insulator units to additional stresses. Because of the foregoing factors additional framework has heretofore been deemed necessary to protect the insulator units from failure.

In accordance with my invention I have found that the separate framework is rendered unnecessary by constructing the bus bar structure in the manner'set forth above, particularly when supplemented by provision of brackets or braces 46 whose designs or configurations are particularly formed of non-magnetic material, is provided with an arm 41 (preferably an extension of a side wall 48 of a body portion 49 of the bracket) the outer inturned end 41a of which is provided with an upwardly extending projection or pad 41b through the center of which is an opening 410.

Similar pads or projections 49b and 501), with openings 49c and 500 therethrough, are provided on the body 49 of the bracket; The respective openings 41c, 49c and 500 are spaced for alignment with the openings through flanges 34 and 35, Fig. 1, through which the bolts 5| extend. The pads 41b, 49b and 50b are preferably machined accurately to position the bracket against the lower machined surface 34a of flange 34 so that when the nuts 5la of the respective bolts are tightened the bracket is fixed in a predetermined position; the body portion 49 is normal to the axis of bus bar I0 and is spaced slightly below the horizontal wall 33. By locating the body portion 49 below the wall 33 and by securing the in- I0 and removed from its compartment.

sulator ends of the brackets to the inner faces of the cooperating flanges, brackets may be secured to any of the flanges Without changing the vertical dimensions of either the stack or housing. Additional pads or projections 53, with their outer surfaces in alignment with the outer face of the flange 34, bear against and form supports for the wall 33.

The bracket 46, though relatively light in weight, is exceptionally strong by reason of interconnecting side walls 48, 48a, an end wall 54, and an intermediate wall 48a. As shown in Fig. l, the end wall 54 is' provided with openings through which extend bolts 55 which, in cooperation with a brace 56 and a coupling 56a, tightly clamp between the opposed faces of the bracket and coupling 55a the downturned edge 33a of wall 33, and the vertical wall 36.

When two sets of bus bars extend parallel to each other, the stacks of insulator units may be interconnected by braces. As shown in Fig. 3, no additional supporting structure is provided for the respective stacks 58 and 59 which rest upon a foundation 3!. By reason of the brackets interconnected by braces 60, however, the respecific electrical resistivity has less tendency to absorb energy by virtue of eddy current losses than metals having higher resistivity. In any event, the thickness of the copper'or other metal walls need not be large since the insulator units and brackets carry all of the weight of the structure and absorb all of the stresses.

In one commercial embodiment of my invention each bus bar was designed to carry continuously 4000 amperes at 23,000 volts. Under short circuit or excessive overload conditions substantial magnetic forces of attraction or repulsion are exerted,

upon the bus bars but the bus bar assemblies described above are entirely satisfactory to take care of all abnormal conditions and current values many times the normal rating.

In cases where a single stack, Fig. 4, of insulator units is disposed near a wall 6!, a brace 62 extending therefrom may be secured to bracket 46.

,To remove one of the insulator units, by removal of panels or walls 36 or between adjacent brackets by removal of a section or panel of wall 31, access may be had to the bolts extending through the respective flanges of the insulator units For example, Fig; 1, afterthe bolts 5! and cap screws 26 have been removed, the insulator unit l4 may be moved outwardly away from the associated insulator-end of bracket 46 which partially encircles the insulator flange. During this movement the insulator slides along the bus bar. As soon as it is clear of the bracket, the insulator may then be moved free of the bus bar The insulator unit i 4, or a replacement unit, may be returned to the stack by carrying out the foregoing steps in the reverse order Since the remaining units I3, I5 and Hi, the housing, and the bus bars, are not disturbed, the described construction minimizes time for inspection and maintenance of the bus bar assembly as a whole.

Referring to the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 7, a vertical stack 58 of insulator units is interconnected with a horizontal stack 65 by means of the brackets 46 and 46, the bracket 46 being rotated through ninety degrees o v e withrespect-to th'ebracket li. Since, the openinsulator 'side of oneof saidflanges and ings, through, which the bolts jGI extend, are

lo'catedat the respective corners ota'square -the brackets are interchangeable for use with ,both vertical and horizontally; extending stacks; that is, each bracket may occupviour separate posiiceivingopenings; Referring to Fig. 8, if a single horizontalstack 69 of insulator "units is .to be used, the brackets tions without change in qthe number of bolt-reulfl and: 'H' are suitably secured;tolsupporting structure 12; In this case, thebrackets formthe, sole' support for the, entire assembly,; including the housing'forming' the individual bus bancom-s 15 palftments.

/ In some cases where the insulator flanges are square, or where narrow rectangular flanges are mounted with'the wide sidelofthe rectangle facing the supporting structu1'e,;bracket 46a, Fig. 9, may be provided with U-shaped open ends" and 14 in place of the hook-shaped ends 41, "a of .Fig- 1. Regardless of the shape of the insulator flange F, the spacing o'fthe bolt holesmay be such that either type of bracket may be used so long as each insulator may be removed from the assembly without disturbing the bracket or other vsupporting structures l I Summarizing, in', accordance with my invention, stacksof insulatortunits or. bus bar assemblies i may be constructed from duplicate parts for'horizontal or vertically extending'bus bars: separate v frame structure is unnecessaryand individual insulator units maybe'readily removed from an 7 assembly without disturbing the remainingunits. Stresses on the insulator bodies are kept within safe limits by the provision of the supporting and bracing Lbrackets which may act I as braces and/or cantilever supports m each assembly.

, While I have shown particular embodiments. of my invention, it will be understood, of course,

, that I donot wish to be limited'thereto since many modifications may be made,and I, thereiore, con

, template by the appended claims to cover any such modifications as iall within the true spirit and scope of my inventiona ,I claim:

points, means forrigidly; securing said bracket having a graduallyincreasing cross-sectional area from its saidend to 'itisjoppos'ite end, and mounting means includingmeans for ,rigidly'flxing said,

opposite end of saidbracket whereby s'aid bracket minimizes application to saidinsulator ofsub stantially allstresses other than stresses of compression e c 2.)! bus bar assembly, comprising insulators provided with flanges rigidly securedto, opposite ends thereof, a rigid "support for one of said flanges of one inSjulatonbusbar mounting means secured to the'opposite flange of' said oneinsu- I lator, a flange of a secondof said insulators being f secured to said bus bar'mounting means,'the, opposing flangeof said second insulator cooperati'ng with the flange of 1a third insulator, walls adjacent one of said walls, the opposite end' of" said: bracket h'aving a portion extending parallel O 'Oll a S d w sg' hdsup ortin means on the, outsidelof, saidside".wall for clampingsaid 5 defwlall ,therebetween in fixed position and "tor rigidly supporting said-bracketi 3. In a busibar structurefl a' bus-en, a pairor insulators cam, having two; attachment "flanges,

sai'dinsulatorsbeing axiallyfalignedand secured 10 to opposite sides of said ,bus banthe combination oi abracket extendingatright anglesto th'efaxis of said insulatorsand secured at .one end to other structureiand at itsother end directly tofone of 1 I said flanges I for preventing'i lateral 'orfangular,

movement thereof, all parts "of said bracket lying between the .outer planes of said two flangesof one of said-insulators, said insulators being indivvidually removablefrom said structure bymovementnormal to the, longitudinal axis or said bracket. v

4. In a bus bar; assembly including an insuj-,

' lator v and its associatedv end flange, the combination of a bracket one end, of relatively small cross-sectional area, of which is provided with' raised portions for cooperation withfsaid flange on the'insulator sidethereofQsaidraised portions spacing said bracket belo w the end surface of said flange, the opposite end offlsaid bracket having raised portions, the upper'suriaces ofwhich 30 are aligned, with respect to said'end surface of said flange, said bracket increasing in cross-sece tional areafrom its end associated with said flange to its oppositeendand there terminating Nina portion arranged parallel to the axis of said 5 insulator and flange.

. 5. In a bus bar structureincluding, bar,

an insulator having attachment'flanges 'at-oppo 7 ,site ends thereof, a plurality. of bolts passing through one of said flangesfor, maintaining .flxed f therelative positions of said bar and'said insulators, the other flange of'said, insulator Secured to, an attachmentflange of a second insulator having similar flanges, the combination of a ri'gid {member 1 secured to the adj acent flanges Jofsaid insulators by bolts passing' through the two flanges and themember, one oi said flanges lying H between said member and sai djother flange; said i member 'encompassingbne'o'f said insulators at least half..itscircumference to suppor't'same, said 50 insulator being "removable from ""said member without-axial movement upon removal ofv the to said flan e at Yisals three points, saidbracket 3b1tsIfrm both its 'flangesl 6. In a structure comprising a'plurality of'bus I bars disposed in a common plane, insulating 55 means, symmetrical'about agiven axis, forspacbingsaid-bars, said means having a flange sube stantially midway of adjacentbars, the combinatiorrof a rigidmember secured to said flange one end of saidinember embracing'at least half 6 ,the circumference of said insulating means' w'ithe out changing the spacingbetween-said bus bars,

said member extending at right angle's'xto the axis of] said insulating means, and means for securing the 'opposite'end of saidrigid member h to other stru'cturepsaidinsulating means being .iremovablefrom said first-mentionedend of said member in a direction normal to the axisv of said insulating means without movement of other parts of said tstructure.

"lfIh combination, a bus bar assembly com prising an insulator havinga flange at.,each end -,thereof, a bus bar secured to one of said flanges; an enclosure for saidbus bar and i said insulator "comprising end-wall elements otlsheet'material one of which is secured to the insulator" flangefaee remote from said bus bar and side-wall elements securedto said end walls, a bracket wholly within said enclosure and disposed in supin: a plurality of rigid conductor-shaving their axes parallel and lying in the same plane, a column of insulating units rigidly spacing said conductors, and an enclosure for eachot said conductors supported by saidjinsulating units, 01 supporting structure external to said assembly, a bracket, and means for securing said bracket to any one of said insulating units intermediate the ends thereof and to said external supporting structure for supporting said bus bar structure in a direction normal to said planeand for positioning said assembly.

WILLIAM M. SCOTT, JR. 

